The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-02
MISCHIEVOUS WORDS.
Those Which Captain Stearns
Spoke In Cutters Store,

Those Which Captain Stearns
Spoke In Cutters Store
Clifton was effervescing with excitement
since the arrival Of the new minister moth
ing had occurred to disturb its placidity,
and the inhabitants were so weary of the
monotony Of their lives, that / verify be
lieve they would have hailed the advent Of
typhus fever, provided they were not the
victims Imagine then how delighted il
was when Mary Ann Goodnough elopeC
with Hiram Stoddard. Such q windfal
had not blessed the gossips for years
Why, Squire Goodnough was the richest
man in the county, aud Hiram's father was
a "renter." and Hiram had nothing ~
And the Squire that proud he'd never for
give 'em, sure. And so they talked, stand
ing on street corners, hanging over gates,
leaning on the back yard fences, gathering
in the milliner's shop, and in the post-offce
which included beneath its roof the one
dry goods and grocery store Of the little
town.
Into this latter building walked late in
the afternoon, the day after the elopement
and while it was still being discussed, a
stout, middle-aged man, with a pair of
leather saddle-bags in his hands, which he
placed on the counter, and ordered filed
with the various articles he enumerated.
What a godsend he was to the loafers
congregated about the store; for it was a
chilly April day. Surely he had not heard
the news; he lived several miles in the
country and had just come to town.
Like brawling stream that had been
checked in its flow by some impediment,
and suddenly forced its channel clear, the
tide Of gossip flowed. One loud-voiced
speaker declaring, if he "were the old
Squire, the runaways should never set foot
under his roof again"
The newcomer now remarked, that for
his part he didn't blame the youngsters.
''Not blame 'em," cried the loud-voiced
man; ''how'd you like fellow, captain, to
steal gal o. yourn?"
''Well," was the quiet answer, "I don't
think any feller'd better try it; but if one
tried it and made a success of it, I'd forgive
'em both" And taking up the well-flled
saddle-bags he flung them across one arm,
and with pleasant ''good-evening, gents"
left the room, and mounting his horse
which had been hitched near the door, rode
briskly of, while the group he had left dis
cussed his remark about the elopement
with much interest.
''Tell you boys" said one, "'twould be
risky business runnin' off with gal o. his;
they do say the captain used to shoot to
kill''
''Pshawr said the loud-voiced man, e'Ive
knowed the captain"-captain in virtue of
having once run a fiat boat to New Orleans
-"nigh on to twenty-five year, an he's easy
'nuff to get along with if you can keep on
the right side of him"
A burst of laughter followed this conclu-
sive proof Of Captain Stearn's amiability,
and as it was nearing supper time the men
slowly dispersed All this time, slender,
hark-eyed young man had been standing at
a desk in the back part Of the store. En-
gagged in reading, he had paid no attention
TO the conversation until the captain en-
tered. Then he became so interested that
like the immortal Captain Cutie, he pro-
ceeded with pen and memorandum book to
snake a note Of it.'' after which, with
pleasant nod to the postmaster, he took his
departure.
Leaving Clifton to get over its feyerish
condition at leisure, let US follow our friend
with the saddle-bags to the home which
he reached just as darkness began to
close around him. The captains home
was evidently the home of man well-to-do,
as people say. The great log-barn, the
Tell-fed stock, two-story hewed house all |
spoke decisively OF prosperity, es did the |
captain himself, sturdy and well clothed. |
wearing on his face the unmistakable look |
Of prosperous man.
Putting his horse in the stable and at |
tending well to the creatures comfort, the |
captain, after taking a look around to see |
that all was as it should be, took his sad |
hle-bags and leaving the barn-yard, walked |
10 the back door of the house The door
was opened by g delicate timidlookinp
woman, whose soft brown eyes and sensi- |
hive mouth, gave to the face a deprecating |
expression, which was heightened when a |
slow smile crept around her lips, as if |
doubtful of its ability to maintain itself.
and ready 10 retreat at its first discourage
ment. Just now the smile seemed content
to remain as the brown eyes frightened at
the sight OF the captain, whose face was
brimming with good humor, as, handing
her the saddle-bags, he exclaimed: "There.
Hetty, I'm sartin 1 didn't forget a single
thing" With the smile still waiting, but
ready to disappear, the wife received the
articles and stepped back into the kitchen.
followed by her husband In an instant.
four children, ranging in age from two to
fourteen years, crowded around the uarents
with eager questions. "Look here, Susie ~
said the father, picking the youngest-the
household pet-up in his arms and whisper.
ing to her as he took a little packet from
his pocket and put it into her hand. The
child laughed merrily, and sitting down
with her on his knee, the captain glanced
at his eldest daughter, girl of seventeen
or thereabouts,- who, busy with prepars-
tions for the evening meal at the cooking
stove, seemed to take no interest in what
interested the rest of the family
The three boys were helping the motber
put away the parcels, and great was their
enjoyment as package after package was
drawn from the capacious receptacle n
seemed the captain sometimes forgot verv
important things and was much vexad
therest, and this morning he had scernfnrV
rejected slip of paper his wife had pre-
pared for memorandum, saving he euessed
his memory could be trusted. Now. as the
last article was displayed, he exclaimed.
''Noy, mother, what do you think of INV
memoryl"
where's Ruth's shoesiii was the renlv
swell, welll i'll didn't clean foreit ,em.
and DOW she can't go to meetin, To- morrow. -
said the captain. Ruth smiled little scorn.
fully as she said: 81 reckon you're not yery
sorry, Pm sure I'm not"
Such pretty girl as this Ruth was. slen-
der. straight and fair like her mother: but
frm-lipped and steel-blue eyed like her
father. With way Of carrying her small